Three dead after a townhome fire in Florida

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (NBC, KYMA) - Three children are dead and four others are critically injured after a fire tore through a townhome in Jacksonville early Wednesday morning.

Jacksonville firefighters were called to this two-story townhome in Mandarin just after 5 a.m. Eastern.

Crews arrived to find heavy fire and smoke and immediately began searching the home for anyone still inside.

Two adults and two children managed to escape, but were taken to the hospital in critical condition.

The fire damaged three units and left seven adults and six children without a home.

The Red Cross is helping those families. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.